1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to enclosures designed for a humid environment, such as a heated indoor swimming pool and, more particularly, is concerned with an interdome enclosure system which enhances moisture control and energy conservation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Two problems normally associated with enclosing a heated indoor swimming pool are moisture condensation and heat containment. Moisture condensation accumulated on the interior surfaces of the enclosure may eventually result in rotting or rusting of frame members, peeling of paint, and staining of interior walls and ceilings. Inadequate containment of moisture and heat to the vicinity of the pool results in the pool serving as a heating source for the enclosure and possibly the external atmosphere. Little enjoyment is to be gained from having a heated pool when it is accompanied by high energy usage costs. The same problems apply when the humid environment is something other than a heated indoor pool, such as a greenhouse.
However, designing an enclosure for a heated pool which takes both problems into consideration poses a dilemma in that a design which provides a feasible solution to one of the problems tends to aggravate the other. For instance, on the one hand, condensation is minimal where the enclosure is large, spacious and not so tightly built; but, in that case, loss of heat is high. On the other hand, where the enclosure is small, compact and much more tightly built, heat loss is confined to a minimum; however, moisture vapor tends to build up to a higher humidity level faster and creates a severe condensation problem.
As a consequence of this design dilemma, it would appear that the only recourse for the designer is to hope to settle on an enclosure design solution which strikes a reasonable compromise between these competing problems. In other words, as in many other areas of building construction, tradeoffs would seem to be necessary. However, the normal tendency of designs which uncritically accept this state of affairs is to fail to provide a solution to either problem at a cost which is within the reach of the ordinary consumer desiring to have a heated indoor pool. Thus, a need exists for a heated indoor pool enclosure design which challenges these conventional assumptions and makes an indoor heated pool an economically viable choice among recreational alternatives open to the ordinary consumer.